Animal protection group warns of high risk of animal-to-human diseases in Chinese fur farms

An investigation of 5 fur farms successful China lodging foxes, raccoon dogs and mink recovered a precocious consequence of diseases processing that could jump from animals to humans, said animal protection group Humane Society International who conducted nan study astatine nan extremity of 2023.

The farms successful China's bluish Hebei and Liaoning provinces each held betwixt 2,000 and 4,000 animals successful intensive conditions, including successful adjacent proximity to poultry, HSI said.

Alastair MacMillan, a visiting professor astatine Surrey University's Veterinary School, said nan precocious stocking density of nan animals facilitates nan accelerated dispersed of viruses connected droplets from 1 to another, and perchance to humans.

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"The accelerated circulation and mixing of different strains of microorganism from animal to animal facilitates their adaption to a mammalian host, nan improvement of mutant strains of interest and a greater likelihood of a threat of quality infection."

China's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs did not respond to requests for remark regarding nan conditions connected nan fur farms and nan consequence of illness spread.

MacMillan said that from a disease transmission and nationalist wellness perspective, nan footage was highly worrying arsenic it is good known that animals farmed for their fur are susceptible to respiratory viruses that tin infect humans.

White raccoon dogs beryllium wrong ligament cages astatine a fur workplace successful Pulandian, Liaoning province, China, connected December 5, 2023. (Humane Society International/Handout via Reuters)

Data from nan early days of nan COVID-19 pandemic concisely uploaded to a database by Chinese scientists past twelvemonth suggested raccoon dogs whitethorn besides person been progressive successful coronavirus reaching humans.

Photos and footage from HSI showed animals densely packed successful mini quiet cages pinch ligament mesh floors. Reuters was not capable to independently verify nan footage.

Many animals could beryllium seen pacing up and down repetitively, an action linked to psychological distress, according to veterinary experts.

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"Mentally disturbed animals, piles of animal filth, barren cages and worrying zoonotic illness is successful stark opposition to nan glamorous image nan fur waste and acquisition tries to portray," said Peter Li, HSI's China policy expert.

Even arsenic China's fur accumulation has fallen successful statement pinch world trends, down 50% from 2022 to 2023 and a adjacent 90% diminution successful nan past decade, location appears to still beryllium robust request for fur.

Social media platforms specified arsenic e-commerce tract Xiaohongshu and Weibo showed users discussing wearing fur arsenic desirable and applicable for keeping warm.